Egypt attempts crackdown on shisha - 04 Dec 09

In a country where smoking is cheap and often described as a "national habit", an Egyptian government crackdown on shisha, the popular flavoured tobacco-filled water pipe, is facing stiff resistance.

Egyptian authorities have issued an ultimatum to the owners of cafes in several cities across the country to stop offering shisha or face hefty fines.

The crackdown comes as the government tries to enforce a two-year-old law banning smoking in public places.

But as Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reports, many say a total ban on shisha would have a damaging effect on Egypt's vital tourism industry.

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News & Politics

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• aljazeera
• al jazeera
• shisha
• hookah
• egypt
• smoking ban
• water pipe
• rawya rageh
• cairo